Growth of High School NIL Impacts College Athletics
Name, image, and likeness deals for college student-athletes, as well as NIL-related legislation and policies, has dominated the public discourse on the topic.
However, we've seen simultaneous growth in the prevalence of NIL opportunities for high school student-athletes, at least in those states that permit it. As of earlier this year, 26 states and the District of Columbia permit high school student-athletes to receive NIL compensation. These changes at the high school level provide significant and obvious benefits for those student-athletes, but the consequences of high school NIL have already begun to resonate at the collegiate level and that impact will only continue to grow.
This article provides insight into three of those impacts: (1) enhanced compliance issues, (2) increased mobility of high school student-athletes, and (3) greater need for mental health resources and support.